ABSTRACT
Group A rotavirus (RVA) is the most important etiologic agent of infant acute gastroenteritis (AGE) worldwide. Detection and molecular characterization of RVA in Salto department, Northwestern region of Uruguay, was conducted on 175 clinical samples, being 153 stool and 22 vomit samples, collected from hospitalized children with AGE, between 0-15 years old, from two hospitals of Salto city during 2011 and 2012. RVA was detected and genotyped by seminested multiplex RT-PCR in order to determine G- and P-genotypes. Positive samples were sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were carried out in order to determine lineages and sub-lineages. RVA were detected in 64 (37%) of the samples and the G and P genotypes observed were: 6% G1P[8], 23% G2P[4]/G2P[X]/GXP[4], 23% G3P[8]/G3P[X], 14% G12P[8]/G12P[X], 16% GXP[8], 1,5% G12P[9], 3% G2P[4]/[8], and 16% non-typeable. VP7 and VP4 genotypes related to DS-1 like gene constellation were prevalent during 2011 and those VP7 and VP4 genotypes related to Wa-like constellation were prevalent during 2012 (mainly represented by G3P[8]). Interestingly, RVA was detected in vomit samples in a high prevalence (41%). RVA was observed mainly in the age group between 1 and 5 years old (75% of the cases), and seasonality with a high detection rate in winter season was observed for the two consecutive years of surveillance. To our knowledge, this study represents the first detection and molecular characterization of RVA in Salto department, Northwestern region of Uruguay; and the first identification of the emerging genotype G12 in the country.
Subject(s)
Gastroenteritis/epidemiology , Gastroenteritis/virology , Genetic Variation , Rotavirus Infections/epidemiology , Rotavirus Infections/virology , Rotavirus/classification , Rotavirus/genetics , Adolescent , Age Factors , Antigens, Viral/genetics , Capsid Proteins/genetics , Child , Child, Preschool , Cluster Analysis , Female , Genotype , Hospitals , Humans , Infant , Male , Molecular Epidemiology , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , Risk Factors , Rotavirus/isolation & purification , Seasons , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Sequence Homology , Urban Population , Uruguay/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Un total de 1163 muestras de heces, fueron recolectadas de niños con enfermedades diarreicas agudas (EDA) menores a 5 años del Hospital Albina Patiño y otros centros de salud de la ciudad de Cochabamba en el período 2001-2002. La infección por rotavirus presentó una prevalencia general del 19 % (220) presentándose en un 24% en pacientes hospitalizados y en el 17% (143) en ambulatorios. Las infecciones por rotavirus se presentaron a lo largo de todo el período de estudio, las frecuencias mas altas de infección se observaron en los meses de invierno: abril (24%), mayo (34%) y junio (28%) y las más bajas (8-15%) en los meses de febrero, agosto y septiembre. El análisis de asociación de la infección por rotavirus. con parámetros climáticos, mostró que los picos más altos de infección. correlacionan con la época mas seca y fría. El mayor número de casos de infección por rotavirus se presentó en niños entre 7-12 meses de edad (36,3%). Los síntomas clínicos más comúnmente asociados a la diarrea rotaviral fueron: la deshidratación moderada. seguida de vómitos, y fiebre, siendo la primera más frecuente en pacientes hospitalizados que ambulatorios. El análisis de la distribución de genotipos G y P mediante el ensayo de reverso trascripción (RT-PCR), reveló la presencia de los genotipos G1 (44%), G2(6%) y P[8] (24%), P[6] (IS%). Se observó una coinfección P[8]P[6] en tres muestras (4%) y asociación del genotipo P[6] con los casos de procedencia ambulatoria. En conjunto estos hallazgos resaltan la importancia del rotavirus como causa de las EDA y permiten inferir que las vacunas anti-rotavirales actualmente vigentes, brindarían protección contra las cepas circulantes encontradas en la ciudad de Cochabamba.
In the period of 2001-2002, a total of 1163 fecal samples were collected from children less than five years of age with diarrhea, at the Hospital Albina Patiño and other health centers in Cochabamba city. Rotavirus infection general prevalence was 19 % (220), distributed among hospitalized children 24% (77) and outpatients 17% (143). Rotavirus infections were observed along the whole study period, with highest prevalence in coldest months: April (24 %), May (34%) and June (28%) and lowest frequencies (8-15%) in February, August, and September. Major rotavirus outbreak was significantly associated with the driest and colder season. The highest percentage of rotavirus infections (36,3%) was found among children between 7-12 months of age. Moderate dehydration, vomits and fever were the clinical symptoms more frequently associated with rotavirus acute gastroenteritis, being dehydration more cornmon in hospitalized patients. The distribution of' P and G genotypes analyzed by RT-PCR was: G1 (44%), G2 (6%), P[8] (24%) and P4 (15%). A co-infection P[8]P[6] was observed in 3 samples (4%). Genotype P[6] was found associated to outpatients. These findings, highlight that rotavirus is an important cause of acute gastroenteritis and that any of the currently available vaccines would potentially be protective against circulating strains found in the city of Cochabamba.